IRS buying $35M in new computers

As part of an effort to provide better service, the Internal Revenue Service has selected Hewlett-Packard Co. to provide $35 million worth of new desktop and notebook computers to 820 IRS locations nationwide.

Working through reseller PlanetGov Inc. of Chantilly, Va., HP announced Aug. 7 that it will supply the IRS with more than 12,300 Compaq Computer Corp. Evo D500 desktop PCs and monitors as well as 11,000 Compaq notebooks, the contract states.

"We are excited to work in partnership with the new HP to assist the IRS in its modernization program, and we look to the successful deployment of these products to IRS locations nationwide," said Steve Baldwin, PlanetGov's chief executive officer in a statement released Aug. 7.

The "new" HP refers to the merger between HP and Compaq that took place in May.

Pat Gallagher, director of business development for HP, said the new PCs will benefit IRS information workers across the board.

"We do not want our customers to worry about their technology working properly," Gallagher said. "We want them to be more concerned with getting their mission done."

The contract is for one year with four one-year options. Initial shipments of the new desktop PCs and notebooks are on their way, an HP official said.